Resident fed up with teachers at West Morris Central

It is about time that someone exposed the West Morris Central
High School teachers for their shameless and childish contract
negotiation tactics, as the Observer-Tribune did in late March. My
daughter is a senior, and I heard stories all year about how
teachers would not have any time for writing college recommendation
letters, or would let students wait until the last second before
the letters were written. As if the seniors didn't have enough to
worry about, with college admission decisions and SAT exams hanging
over their heads. Several more days were lost in the schedule
because of the so-called "holiday" job actions, in which teachers
effectively closed down the schools by staying out on days that
their contract allowed them to stay home. Threats to go on strike
and to curtail or eliminate extracurricular activities were several
other favorite tantrums thrown by these malcontents. And now that
the contract has been ratified by all parties, we are supposed to
forget what transpired.

Parents await the annual New Jersey School Report Cards with
great anticipation to see if their schools are ahead or staying
abreast of performance compared to statewide surveys and averages.
They should also analyze the cost-effectiveness of our teachers.
The most recent Report Card revealed the following facts:

SAT scores for college admission are about 10 percent higher for
West Morris Central High School than the state average, but West
Morris Central High School faculty salaries are almost 15 percent
higher than the state average, and per-pupil expenditures on
salaries and benefits for West Morris Central are almost 25 per
cent higher than the state; and this is before the new contract
raises.

Per-pupil extracurricular expenditures, which supplement the
teachers' standard workweek paycheck, are nearly 60 percent higher
for West Morris Central than the state average.

The teachers' work environment is also a special benefit that
cannot be quantified. But every teacher would have to admit that it
is a pleasure to work for a district with one of the highest
attendance rates, and lowest rates of dropout, suspensions and
expulsions in the state.

These last achievements are just as much testament to the
parents and caregivers , who maintain high family standards and
will not tolerate mediocrity, as they a re testament to the
performance of the teachers at West Morris Central.

Parents and taxpayers are proud that they can attract quality
teachers to Washington Township. Teachers must also realize that we
prepare our children rigorously to behave and pay attention during
class, making teachers' jobs easier.

Teachers are also well compensated for their work, as
demonstrated by the last New Jersey Report Card and the new
contract.

In light of last year's childishness on the part of teachers,
perhaps the group that is getting the really raw deal is the
students, particularly seniors who re ly on their mentors for help,
guidance and support in their toughest year of school. If anyone
deserved to go on strike this year, the students had the best case
to be made. Ironically, this may have been the most important
lesson that they learned from their trusted educators.

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http://www.newjerseyhills.com/echoes-sentinel/news/watchung-police-department-hopes-to-receive-equipment-from-department-of/article_12ad002a-92b3-5449-a2cc-4b2cf0ce4339.html